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Posts tagged ‘Congee’

My stomach has been feeling funny for the past few days so I made chao vit, or duckporridge, for dinner. Whenever I was not feeling well, my mom would make a huge pot of chao. Chao is made with a duck based broth and rice, so simple yet satisfying. The broth can be made from chicken, pork, or just water. Many people cook the rice directly in the broth, but I strained the broth to remove all the fat, and then added in the rice to make a healthier soup. I probably removed 2 cups of fat. When paired with toasted gio chao quay (Chinese donuts), they soak up the soup and add a wonderful texture to the meal. I added a handful of bean sprouts to my chao, squeezed a few drops of lime juice, and topped it with pepper, a few pieces of red chili, cilantro, and green onions. The crunch of the bean sprouts, the sourness of the lime, and the kick from the chilies brought so many flavors to the chao. It was a comforting and satisfying meal!

Instructions

Place the whole duck in the pot filled with 10 cups of water. Add the salt and ginger. Bring the pot to a boil and let simmer on medium heat for 45 minutes.

Remove the duck from the broth and strain the broth to remove any excess fat. Add the rice to the pot. Use a hand blender, blend the rice until finely ground. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes to let the porridge thicken. Add in the fish sauce and season to your liking.

While you are waiting for the porridge to finish cooking, chop the duck into small pieces, prepare the fish sauce, and toast the Chinese donuts.

Add a few pieces of duck and a handful of bean sprouts before ladling the porridge to a serving bowl. Garnish with green onions, cilantro, pepper, and red chillies.